The mission of the Friends of the International Rose Test Garden is to preserve, protect, and enhance the rose garden as a heritage resource and destination for the community of Portland, Oregon, and for visitors from around the world. We recruit and support rose garden volunteers, increase public awareness of the rose garden, and support efforts to maintain and improve the rose garden.

In partnership with Portland Parks and Recreation, we strive to exhibit roses that are thriving, disease resistant and weed free, to offer a superior visitor experience with the public who are informed and captivated by rose growing and the significance of roses to Portland's history as the Rose City, and to conduct fund-raising to support these activities.

All volunteers at the IRTG are automatically a member of the Friends of IRTG. We come from the Portland Metro Area and beyond, bonded in our love for this rose garden and Portland's iconic identity as the Rose City. We are experienced rose growers, many are OR State University Master Gardeners, and many are rose novices wanting to increase their rose knowledge. All are committed to providing public service to the thousands of visitors from around the world.

The Friends of IRTG is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) charitable organization (EID 85-2892999), dedicated to preserve, protect, and enhance the International Rose Test Garden in Washington Park,

The Friends Board of Directors
The Friends BOD was established in 2015.

The current BOD:

Kimberly Bown, President
Madeline Forsyth, Vice-President
Harriet Ottaviano, Secretary
Marijke Dixon Wood, Treasurer
Michael Humphrey
Juanita Lewis
Pat Frobes, ex-officio & liaison to Friends of Peninsula Park Rose Garden
Rachel Burlington, Advisor to BOD, PP&R staff & IRTG curator